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“Mojo” Mobile Apps Offered to Media at DigiBC's VX 2010 Showcase & Services Launch
Wednesday, February 10, 2010Company Profile | Follow Company
Vancouver, BC, February 10, 2010--(T-Net)--DigiBC officially unveiled its VX Showcase and Media Services yesterday at the BC Showcase at Robson Square. DigiBC is the industry association representing the interests of BC's 1,300-plus digital media and wireless companies.
The VX Showcase used a number of large monitors to present short videos from the industry's top 20 companies, alongside spirited conversations between experts. Among the top 20 were Canpages, Disney, Electronic Arts, Nokia Vancouver, Rainmaker Entertainment, Sierra Wireless and Work At Play, which created the Showcase.
The event was opened by Iain Black, BC's Minister of Small Business, Technology and Economic Development (STED).
Black remarked on Vancouver's long history as a centre of technological excellence. He acknowledged the key role to the economy of BC's digital media and wireless sector, which generates over 22,000 jobs and more than $3 billion in revenues. He also congratulated DigiBC for creating the showcase so quickly, despite the added challenges of merging two large industry associations - WINBC and New Media BC - last fall.
International visitors
Nearly 50 members of DigiBC and non-accredited media representatives from the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and the UK, who are in Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, remained after the Showcase. They were treated to an eye-opening look at a number of digital media and wireless services developed by BC companies. These services are available - free in most cases - to help the media to work smarter and faster, and to make their experiences here extraordinary.
100,000 downloads in one weekend
The services include XOMO's VX Connect, a unique matchmaking app that lets visitors quickly find BC-based digital media and wireless companies, express interest, arrange meetings and share stories. XOMO also created Bell Mobility's mobile Olympics guide. XOMO founding partner, Jeff Sinclair, noted that the Olympics guide had been downloaded more than 100,000 times over the preceding weekend - even though it has not been officially promoted.
Greg Speakman, VP Marketing at Sierra Wireless introduced his company's new high-speed, AirCard USB modem. Speakman said the device is currently the world's fastest wireless modem, enabling broadband connection rates of 21 megabits per second from almost any location.
“Reporters won't need to find a WiFi hotspot,” said Speakman, “and they will enjoy speeds comparable to a home broadband connection while on the bus to Whistler, in a cab, in a restaurant... anywhere they can connect to a mobile network.”
Local search using voice commands on smartphones
Olivier Vincent, CEO of Canpages demonstrated his company's new business directory release, which provides GPS-based local search, maps, weather reports, rich media information on searched companies, plus the ability to do it all on a smartphone using voice commands.
Dario Meli, co-founder of Invoke Media, presented Vidroller, a new app that enables threaded video conversations. According to Meli, Vidrollr is a quick and easy way for reporters to share their thoughts about their Olympic experiences - live, with other groups of people, anywhere in the world.
Mobile journalism - the MoJo revolution
Vericorder, a Kelowna, BC company, announced a public beta trial of its advanced smartphone mobile media applications for recording, editing, and sending audio, video and photo files.
Gary Symons, Vericorder's founder and president, said that, as part of the trial, which they dub the “MoJo Revolution,” they are launching a mobile sports network for the duration of the Winter Olympics. The network operates solely through the use of iPhones. He said 17 journalism students will be equipped with the company's Vericorder ShowCase software, and their multimedia reports will be aired on Vericorder's website. Complimentary licences for Vericorder's software will also be offered to members of the non-accredited media.
DigiBC president, Michael Bidu, called the event was a success and said he was absolutely amazed at the uniqueness, versatility and quality of the applications being provided to the media.
“This is the first time this kind of showcase and services has ever been offered at an Olympic event,” said Bidu. “And it was possible thanks to the collaboration of many of our companies, who donated money and over 4,000 hours of time.”
“People are going to experience, first hand, just how creative and innovative our industry is,” said Bidu. “We can and will be a world-leading centre for digital media and wireless.”
Other notables at the opening were Moira Stillwell, BC's Minister of Advanced Education, and Deputy Minister Don Fast (STED).
For more information contact:
Christina Chowaniec
DigiBC
604-602-5242
christina@winbc.org
About DigiBC
DigiBC, the Digital Media and Wireless Association of BC, is a member-supported, non-profit organization, based in Vancouver, BC Canada. There are over 1,300 companies in our sector, creating innovative products in wireless and mobile, video gaming, animation and VFX, web 2.0 and social media, interactive marketing and e-learning. Collectively, our sector employs 22,000 people and generates revenues of $3 billion a year - making us one of the most significant contributors to British Columbia's economic well-being.
For more information visit www.digibc.org
About VX
VX, for Vancouver Experience, is a showcase of BC's world-class wireless and digital media industry. It was specially designed to amaze and inspire the thousands of international business visitors and non-accredited media visting Vancouver during the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
For more information visit www.vxperience.com
For information about the other companies mentioned in this release:
Canpages - http://www.canpages.ca/
Sierra Wireless - http://www.sierrawireless.com/
Vericorder Technology - http://vericorder.com/
Vidrollr by Invoke Media - http://vidrollr.com/ and http://www.invokemedia.com/
XOMO - http://www.xomodigital.com/
Company Snapshot |
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DigiBC - The Digital Media and Wireless Association of BC
Vancouver, BC (Non-Tech Sectors)
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